Power of Love
by Little Nemo
Summary: Training for their next battle against Paul in the Sinnoh League, Ash and Pikachu meet someone who will show them how to prove the strength of the power of love. Good thing Pikachu isn't at full power when he uses it. Warning: spoilers for DP131 and 132


Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon

A/N: One day, a bored, bored Shinnie watched DP 131 + 132 and read the stupidity in the Serebii forums and was annoyed by all the insistence for evolution. This spawned from it all as well as fagging over the fact that Ash and Pikachu have a bond like no other. If you haven't watched DP 131 and 132 there are some spoilers in here, which is the only warning aside from WTFery and abuse of a certain useless TM in the games that would destroy worlds if placed in the hands of Ash and Pikachu.

This was funnier in my brain than when it was written down but OH WELL. Cheesiest title posible was chosen for my own amusement.

* * *

"Well, maybe we should try Brick Break one more time, Pikachu! Whaddya say?" Pikachu threw his trainer a confident grin as he leapt into the air and smashed his paw into the rock- only to fall down in pain as the attack failed once again.

"Are you okay?" Ash asked, an alarmed look crossing his face as he gathered his buddy in his arms. Pikachu could only look up sadly.

"…pikapi…"

"It's okay Pikachu, I'm sure you'll get Brick Break down soon," Ash tried to encourage his pokemon. But the thing was, they had been going at this training for three days and they still hadn't made any progress. If they wanted a better chance against Paul, they had to learn brick break to smash through light screen, which was one of their bigger problems against Paul in their last battle. And they only had three days left before their match too. "In the mean time, why don't we take a break with the rest of the gang?"

Pikachu sighed, depressed. "Pika…"

Flopping down on the grass, Ash inwardly groaned. Although his pokemon had improved by leaps and bounds since their last match with Paul(where he was completely and utterly slaughtered), Ash couldn't help but feel a little worried. Of course he was confident that this time they would win…there was just that little tiny knot of worry that niggled at the back of his head.

It was aggravating. They would beat Paul and show him how important friendship was with a pokemon! But how…?

"Child," a scratchy, deep feminine voice crooned. Ash screamed and jumped five feet into the air.

"Please do not be afraid," the voice continued as Ash composed himself and boggled at the strangely dressed woman in front of him. She was…bizarre, even by Ash's standards of bizarre(and the reader should know how bizarre Ash's standards were). She was dressed in blinding shades of red, dark purple and pink, with many shawls wrapped around her shoulders. It was a wonder how she even managed to scare Ash, with all the gold bangles covering her arms and the giant gold beaded necklaces that hung from her neck and in her hands, she held a strange pipe that had smoke coming out of it. Really, really strange, Ash decided.

She looked a bit sleepy, Ash thought with her droopy eyes and swaying movements. She was not young but nor was she very old- if Ash was any good at guessing ages, he'd guess that she was around forty or fifty- younger than Professor Oak but older than his mum. Her dark brown hair was streaked with white and there were lines of laughter around her eyes and the most prominent feature on her face was her big nose. All in all, she was a very strange woman that also smelt very strange and kind of made Ash very giddy. Except, she also probably thought Ash was a coward and that would not do- Ash Ketchum was anything but a coward!

"I wasn't scared," Ash huffed loudly, scooping Pikachu up from the floor, where the yellow-mouse like pokemon was snoozing. "You just startled me---how'd you sneak up on me like that?"

"Magic, my dear," the lady smiled curtsying. "You are Ash Ketchum are you not? I've heard of you. You wish to prove how strong the power of friendship and love is, yes?"

Ash blinked. "Well, yeah. How'd you know tha—"

"I know many things, child! And I know how to aid you in your quest too! The power of friendship and love is a most precious, precious thing, beautiful, amazing and powerful if utilized correctly! I shall show you how to use it properly child and you shall show the world the power of love! Come, come Child! We have much work to do!"

Ash blinked. "You still didn't—wait, you know how to prove it? Hey, Pikachu wake up, we're following this weird lady who will show us how to show Paul how important friendship is! C'mon!"

Pikachu looked up at his trainer, bewildered. What was his trainer on about?

"Let us go, Child and Pikachu! Come, Come! We have little time to train and to use the technique that will demonstrate the power of love and friendship! I can see child, you and your Pikachu have a marvelous bond together, one that shines brighter than any star! Beautiful, beautiful, your bond is truly remarkable and you two are most suited for this technique! Come, come!"

"Yeah! Coming!"

"Ash, wait, we're are you going?" Brock questioned, looking a bit mystified as he stepped into Ash's training area, holding a basket of food for he knew Ash tended to forget to eat while training with his pokemon. Dawn stumbled in after him, holding up all the other things that they were going to use for their picnic.

"I'm going to work with this lady! She's going to show me n' Pikachu how to use the power of love! C'mon guys, I'm gonna lose track of her!"

Brock and Dawn stared.

"Wait, Ash! Are you sure she's okay to hang around? Ash? Ash! Wait up! There's this weird smell around this area and I think it comes from drugs! Ash!"

Dawn turned her deadpan look to Brock. "…how do you know what drugs smell like, Brock?"

Brock laughed nervously. "Back in Pewter City…well, yeah. Um. We should just follow Ash and make sure he doesn't accidentally become a drug addict!"

Xxx

"Monferno is no longer able to battle! Magmortar wins!"

Ash gritted his teeth as he glared at the Magmortar and his trainer from across the field. Although Ash currently had the upperhand with three pokemon left- Pikachu was currently somewhat exhausted and Grotle and Buizel were in no condition to fight Magmortar either.

"All right, Monferno, return!" Ash ordered, returning Monferno to his pokeball. "Good job Monferno. Take a nice long rest, okay?"

"Pika!" Ash blinked and looked down, staring into the determined face of his Pikachu.

"Pikachu? You wanna battle?" Pikachu nodded. "But…" Ash hesitated. Although Pikachu was currently in better condition than Grotle or Staraptor, Pikachu still hasn't at full health and with Magmortar's flame body, many of Pikachu's attacks were sealed off.

"Pi, pika pi pi pika!" Ash blinked. Then a grin stretched across his face. "You really want to battle huh? Well, let's go then!" Giving him a thumbs up, Pikachu leapt into the arena and snarled at his opponent, sparks of electricity crackling from its cheeks.

"And the trainer in the green corner returns Monferno and sends out Pikachu again! But his Pikachu is still exhausted! Will it all be over in one hit?"

Ash smirked. "That's fine, isn't it? Defense isn't your best trait, Pikachu! Speed is! Magmortar's power means nothing if he can't touch you! Agility, now!" Ash ordered.

Paul scowled. As much as he hated to admit it, the speed of the idiot's pokemon were something to be wary of.

"Magmortar, stand your ground." Magmortar rumbled but stayed put, knowing that the Pikachu would not touch him physically.

"Thunderbolt!" Ash shouted.

"Pikachuuuuuu!"

"Flame thrower!"

Magmortar roared, breathing out a jet of hot flames. The two attacks collided in an explosion, sending up black smoke and dust into the air. Ash gritted his teeth. Where was the opponent?

"Pikachu, be on the look o—"

"Magmortar, earthquake!"

Ash gasped.

"Pikachu! Use Iron tail to jump!" He cried out, desperation coating his voice. It was too late. Just as the smoke cleared, the first thing Pikachu spotted was Magmortar's cruel smile as he lifted a leg and stomped, sending powerful shockwaves through the ground and sending Pikachu into the air. A couple of spectators gasped- whether it was in horror or awe, Ash wasn't sure- as the frail pokemon was thrown into the air, only to meet the unforgiving, hard rocks below.

"Pii!"

"Pikachu!" Ash cried. On the sidelines, Dawn gasped in horror, covering her mouth with her hands as Brock looked on, a pensive look on his face.

"Hang in there Ash, Pikachu!" Brock shouted.

Dirty and weak, Pikachu was at his limits as he lay there on the ground, struggling to get to its feet through sheer willpower alone.

"You're absolutely pathetic. Finish it, Magmortar," Paul's cold voice cut across the arena. "Fire blast."

"Pikachu, c'mon, you've got to get up and get out of the way!" Tottering uneasily, Pikachu blearily stared at his opponent charging up its most powerful fire attack, breathing heavily.

Ash gritted his teeth. Pikachu was the only one capable of taking down Magmortar- he had felt Monferno collapse the moment he had returned him and Grotle was no match for Magmortar's fire attacks.

He still had one card left, one card that was sure to take down Magmortar and prove to Paul once and for all just how important the power of love and friendship was.

"Pikachu! Return!" Pikachu blinked, staring back at his trainer. Ash nodded and a grin crossed the mouse-like pokemon's face.

"Can the green trainer return his pokemon in time without using his pokeball? Or will this be it for Pikachu?!" The announcer continued, ignoring the annoyed looks being sent his way for interrupting such a tense battle.

Paul scoffed as he watched his pokemon finish charging up its most powerful fire blast to date.

"Too late."

Even in the face of such powerful flames, Pikachu wasn't scared. He would win and he would help Ash prove to the mean-trainer how powerful his Pikapi was. Grinning, he swung his tail to the floor, jumping high into the air, using the iron tail he had failed to do so before, missing the fire blast by mere centimeters.

"What's this? Pikachu just ignored its trainer's order to return and used an iron tail instead?" The announcer gasped dramatically.

"No," Ash said cheerfully. "Pikachu didn't ignore me. Pikachu! Use it now!"

Closing his eyes, Pikachu recalled all the good memories with Ash, remembered how much he had loved Pikapi and began to glow an eerie white colour as he stored up all the energy.

"Now! Return!"

"Piiiii---kaaa—chu!" Pikachu gave a final cry and sent the wave of energy down to the Magmortar.

"Flame thrower, now!" Paul snapped. But this time, it was too late for Paul. Magmortar could only stare in shock as the blinding white energy smashed into it, creating a massive explosion that could have been seen in miles.

An awestruck silence fell over the crowd as the dust cleared, revealing the deep crater that had been the battlefield.

No corner of the battle field was left untouched- every inch of it had been ripped up and blown away by the sheer force of Pikachu's attack. The electric pokemon panted heavily, exhausted but triumphant as it stood over the unconscious Magmotar, reveling in its victory. The pokemon wasn't the only one in bad condition- his trainer was too, having been hit by the backlash of the attack.

A stunned look crossed Paul's face, mirroring the one on his opponent's. How could this have happened? How could that kind of attack, that kind of weak attack which was normally so weak destroy his Magmortar so easily?

"M-magmortar is unable to continue. Pikachu wins! The victory goes to Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town and he moves on to the semi-finals!" The referee declared after a long moment of silence, only to be drowned out by a deafening roar as the spectators leapt to their feet.

Ash blinked. Once, twice.

He…won? He beat Paul? A moment of silence.

Wait.

"WE WON!!" Ash cheered, throwing his fist into the air and ran into the field, throwing his arms around Pikachu.

"Pikapi!" Pikachu squealed, leaping into his trainer's arms, nuzzling Ash's cheek with happiness. After so many trials, after so many losses. They had proven Paul wrong and had won!

"Yeah, Ash won!" Dawn cheered loudly with Piplup. Brock laughed, throwing propriety to the wind as he jumped up and cheered as loudly and shamelessly as he could, alongside of Dawn.

"I-Incredible! Absolutely incredible! Ladies and Gentlemen, this battle today has shown just exactly how powerful the power of love is! Ash Ketchum hadn't been ordering Pikachu to get off the field- he had ordered Pikachu to use the attack, Return! It's a normal-type attack that increases with power depending on how strong the bond between trainer and pokemon is! Normally, it doesn't create that kind of damage but the state of the battlefield speaks for itself as to how much that Pikachu loves its trainer, folks. Just look at that CRATER!"

Still stunned, Paul could only stand there, as if he was turned into stone, eyes wide and jaw dropping to the ground as his soul leaked out of his mouth.

Love? Love had beaten his pokemon? It was…IMPOSSIBLE. Right? Impossible! It was impossible! It was…true…oh god, he had been beaten by the cheesiest power in the world, LOVE.

"Hey, hey, Paul! That was a great match---uuuh, Paul? Paul?...I think he died…um help? Someone?"

In the shadows of the stadium, the old-but not old lady laughed gleefully as she swept out of the shadows and down the hall.

"The power of love! It was magnificent! Beautiful! OHOHOHOHOHO~"

Passerbys gave her odd looks and kept a wide berth between her.

"Mama, who was—"

"Stay away from the crazy lady sweetie."

That year, Ash Ketchum took the title of Sinnoh league champion. And it was all thanks to the power of love.

* * *

A/N: Because Ash + Pikachu's love would destroy worlds, rip through the dimension, bitchslap Giratina and knock Cyrus out in one go. All with the power of Return. 8D


End file.
